A winemaker’s journey from Niagara to Napa

Brock graduate now making her mark with California’s Robert Mondavi Winery

Part of the inaugural graduating class from Brock University’s oenology and viticulture program, Megan Schofield’s first job was working harvest at R.H. Phillips Winery in California.

“I was told it’s not in Napa, but it’s near Napa,” she said. “I thought it was a couple of blocks away or something like that. I would soon discover it was on the other side of a mountain from Napa ...”

On her first free afternoon, the St. Catharines native and a friend from home, who accompanied Schofield on the cross-country drive, went to explore the Napa Valley. The iconic Robert Mondavi Winery was their first stop. “I have a photo of my friend sitting by the fountain — there’s no photo of me there because I took the picture,” she said. “I never, ever imagined I’d be a winemaker there in 14 years.” Schofield joined the winemaking team headed by Geneviève Janssens in 2015, originally taking control of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production from the Napa Valley.

Today, her role focuses on all of the white wines produced in the valley for Robert Mondavi Winery, including the Napa Valley Fumé Blanc, Napa Valley Chardonnay and the celebrated I Block To Kalon Vineyard Fumé Blanc, which is available only at the winery.

“I still pinch myself,” she said. Before working at Mondavi, Schofield was on the winemaking teams at Beringer Vineyards, Buena Vista Winery and Simi Winery, which are all producers held in high esteem by consumers and the trade. But she came to appreciate that working at Mondavi has more advantages. “I didn’t realize how becoming a winemaker at Mondavi is a whole different thing,” she said. “You’re perceived as the crown jewel of Napa so there’s a lot of attention; everybody wants to come to Robert Mondavi when they come to Napa.” Schofield says the facility is like “winemaking nirvana.” “From grapes to glass, we spare no expense to ensure the best wine gets put into bottle. Quality is never, ever sacrificed,” she said. “It’s fabulous.”

When Schofield first joined the Mondavi team, she was responsible for the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir production. Her focus shifted when she asked to work with some of the grapes grown in the historic To Kalon vineyard that surrounds the winery in Oakville, Calif.

“Here I was sitting in the middle of one of the world’s most famous vineyards and wasn’t making any wine from it,” she said. “I gave up Pinot reluctantly and now I do all of the whites, including the Sauvignon Blanc.” Christopher Waters is the co-founder and editor of Vines, a national consumer wine magazine.